


Clamor

by Xhaira



Series: FFXIV Write 2020 [8]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Dreams and Nightmares, Gen, Nightmares, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-10
Updated: 2020-09-10
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:48:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26392183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xhaira/pseuds/Xhaira
Summary: Xhaira was no stranger to this particular dream setting. And he knew that it was just a dream because he had no desire to ever step foot in The Dusk Vigil again, so he was only subjected to the icy torment in his sleep.
Series: FFXIV Write 2020 [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1907896
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	Clamor

**Author's Note:**

> Xhaira has nightmares :(
> 
> Thanks for reading!

Xhaira was no stranger to this particular dream setting. And he knew that it was just a dream because he had no desire to ever step foot in The Dusk Vigil again, so he was only subjected to the icy torment in his sleep. Knowing that he wouldn’t be able to escape the nightmare by just standing in the snow (and he’d tried many times), Xhaira sighed and began the trek into the fortress. 

There were no enemies as he made his way through the training grounds, and the oliphaunt that normally blocked his path was gone. As he approached the entrance to the inner areas of the fortress, Xhaira braced himself. Sometimes it went exactly like his original venture into the fortress; half-frozen and blighted knights clamored after him, attacking and grabbing at his limbs until he fought them off. Occasionally the halls were empty and deafeningly quiet, even as he made his way into the resting place of Ser  Yuhelmeric.

This time the knights were there, but they didn’t move at first. As he passed them, they stared a hole into his back but did not attack or make noise. But once he’d passed through the first section of the hall, they followed at a leisurely pace. The maimed knights pulled themselves along the floor at a less frightening speed, following him silently to the doors that led to their commander. The doors to the individual rooms of the barracks were closed, which was a new and odd addition to the versions of this recurring nightmare, so no other knights entered his path. 

As he reached the large door leading to Ser Yuhelmeric, Xhaira realized that it was frozen shut from top to bottom. He blinked, and suddenly it was just a frozen wall that led nowhere. Turning around, he looked past the dead who had stopped a few ilms away from him and saw that the entrance to the barracks was gone as well. This was somehow worse than just fighting all of them again.

“It’s time.”

Xhaira’s eyes flicked to the knight closest to him. “It’s time?” He asked. 

The knight’s gaze bore into Xhaira’s. “It’s time.” The rest of the knights began to crowd him, each saying the same thing. “It’s time. It’s time. It’s time. It’s time.”

The monotone repetition of the words as they got closer to him, along with the stench of icy death that clung to their corpses began to make him feel ill. “S-stay back!”

A maimed knight grabbed at his legs, using them and his coat as a lever to get closer. “It’s time.” Another knight reached for him, grabbing at his throat. Xhaira could not move his arms to defend himself. “It’s time.”

Xhaira jerked awake, sweat coating his face and chest. He instinctively looked to his left to make sure he hadn’t woken Aurion, and was satisfied when his mate’s gentle breathing continued undisturbed. He hadn’t moved or made much noise this time. 

Carefully pulling himself out of the bed, Xhaira walked to the washroom and splashed his face with cool water. He looked at his reflection as droplets of sweat and water rolled off of his face and into the sink. He normally did not put much merit into his nightmares because they were just that -- nightmares. But something about this one puzzled him.

“What exactly is it time for?”


End file.
